Improvement in universal joints for shaft-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFCE.

JOSEPH F. EMll/IERT, OF WAYNESBOROIIGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,939, dated July 11, 1871.

T0 all 'bolbom t't magi concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. EMEIIMIRT, of VVaynesborough, in the county of Franklin and Stateof Pennsylvania,have invented a new and Improved Coupling, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a perspective view, showing the coupling and shaft-plates connected. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connecting-block, and Fig. 3 is a diarnetrical section of the connecting-block.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawing denote corresponding parts.

This inve11tion. relates to that class-of couplings employed to connect the sections of the tnrirbling-roch so called, which transmits n10- tion from a horse-power to the machinery operated by it, and the invention consists in a novel and peculiar connecting-block and the combina tion thereof with two bifureated plates attached to the shaft or rod, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, A is the-connecting-block and B B are the bifurcated plates attached to the shaft or rod in any suitable manner. The block is constructed in the form of a sphere, having two circrunferential grooves, al t, at right angles to each other. Bach groove is eccentric to the sphere, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that each divides the sphere into two hcmispheres, connected by a neck, 8, the form of which is shown by the section in Fig. 3. The plates B B are constructed with curved arms D 17, the ends of which approach each other so as to embrace and partially lock around the necks 6, and thus hold the plates securely connected to the block. The curvecl arms are gotten over the neck by presenting them in the direction of the arrow 8,

Fig. 3, in which direction the neck is very narrow. They are the11 turned around to the line of the arrow 8', in which direction the neck is very wide, so that the ends of the fork will not pass over it. The sections of the tumbling-rod are thus connected, as shown in Big. 1, so that, while the joints are flexible, the rod or shaft, however long it may be, can be rotated by power applied at one end. When no longer necessary to use it, the sections of red can be readily separated from each other by simply lifting up the blocks A A until the connected plates hang at right angles to their position when working, in which case the forked plates will drop off of the necks by their own gravity. In some cases it 1nay be desirable to lock the plates to the connecting-block in such a manner that they Will not thus detach themselves. This is easily done by attaching the plates to the block in the position shown in Fig. 1, a11d then turning them both around until each projects from the side of the block opposite to that from which they project, as seen in said drawing. Each plate will then lock t11e other, preventing it from turni11g far enough to become dis engaged. This coupling is adapted to many other uses than simply that above referred to. It 1nay be employed wherever ilexible shafting or a universal joint in a shaft is required.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The connecting-block A, constructed with the two eccentric rooves (6 t substantiall as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The forked plates B B, with their forked ends curved toward each other, and their opposite extremity adapted to be fastened to the shafting, substantially as and. for the purposes set forth.

Witnesses: JOSEPH F. EMlVIERT.

D. B. EUSSELL, OLIVEB Bnsonn. 

